It’s been about 20 years since I’ve flown Southwest airlines. Southwest was the first airline I few as an adult. So the memories I have are vivid. But that’s not to mean I remember everything.

So now it’s time. I’m moving back to Puerto Vallarta for the next five to six months, and I’m flying Southwest.

I’m worried because I’ve gotten so used to American Air policies and structure. I’m also concerned because I’ve heard terrible news stories about unruly passengers on Southwest or Spirit flights, and I’m wondering if I’m going to fly with a plane full of crazies.

Although that’s not to say American Airlines doesn’t have unruly passengers. If you read the first flight report I ever wrote, it was on American, and it was a disaster.

But such is life. This ticket was the cheapest, and that’s a good thing. So Southwest, give me your best shot!

Southwest Airlines and Mobile Check-In

STRIKE! I can’t get a mobile boarding pass. It must be because I’m flying internationally, so my passport must be verified. Such a drag, though.

My flight leaves at 9 am from SNA airport. This means I have to wake up early enough to beat LA traffic, then beat the line of people who need to have their passports checked.

The overthinker in me starts to panic. No need to worry. I have one small backpack and one electronics bag. I’m not checking any bags in, so this should be quick. I just have to wake up earlier than everyone else.

And considering I’m staying in LA (at my mom’s house), I’ll be sure to get up at sunrise to do this.

Airport Check-In

I get to the airport super early. It takes about 45 min to Uber to SNA. There are about one or two people in line at the check-in desk. This is fantastic.

But I refuse to wait in line. So I try their kiosks first.

It works! Technology to the rescue. 

I get my boarding pass and proceed through Pre-Check.

I’m through security in about two minutes.

It’s becoming clear that I’ve over-thought this. I’m here several hours early. Southwest doesn’t have a lounge to relax in. 

Luckily the airport is relatively empty at this time of day.

So I walk to my gate to sit and wait.

Food and Southwest

I feel like this is my first time flying Southwest, which is not true. It’s just been too long.

Considering all the crazy pandemic rules, who knows if they offer anything to eat. I would think not, though.

So I purchase some Sunchips and a Frapaccino from the nearest vendor.

To my surprise, Southwest has complimentary drinks and light snacks but other food for purchase. So I didn’t need to buy anything beforehand. It’s cool though. I love Sunchips.

Boarding My Flight

My brain is a little fuzzy on the boarding process. But if I remember correctly, it’s a free-for-all, right?

That’s not a good thing. I picture mad-people elbowing each other, kicking kids out of the way, screaming in victory as they reach the front of the line. 

I need to ask about this because I’m freaking myself out.

So I walk up to the gate agent. He’s an elderly gentleman but very attentive.

I ask him about the boarding process, and he asks me what number I am.

I’m number B19, I tell him.

He then explains that Southwest boards by letter. “A” goes first. But then they split it in half.

A 1 to 15 (I’m forgetting already!) first. Than A 16 to 30 next. And so on.

This puts me at ease because at least it’s not the apocalyptic chaos I imagined.

To my surprise, there was no chaos. I mean, some frequent Southwest flyers already knew the system and had their tricks.

Some waited in line behind the A-group because they knew B was next. Pretty smart if you asked me.

But there was no pushing or shoving. The boarding process was smoother than the American Air process. And American has group numbers. But somehow, everyone panics and bunch up against the gate as boarding starts.

More About this Elderly Gate Agent

The weird thing about this agent is that I later saw him disconnecting things from the plane on the tarmac. I’ve never seen that before.

The weirder part is that I also saw a guy approach him and yell at him. They exchanged a few nasty words with loud hand gestures and parted ways.

I have no idea what it was about, but it was funny to watch.

Choosing a Seat

Because you don’t get a seat assignment on Southwest, you can sit anywhere once you’re on a plane. 

In this case, it is a free-for-all. 

So I don’t know why I was surprised to see that people were literally everywhere. 

I thought I would just take a seat near the back because no one wants to sit near the back.

It turns out everyone had the same thought.

I managed to find an empty row. Placed one bag overhead and one bag under my seat.

I sat near the window.

As the plane filled, so did my row. A couple sat next to me. They were kind and mostly kept to themselves.

The Flight Attendants 

The flight attendants were great. They had good spirit.

The flight from SNA to PVR is only about 2.5 hours long. So they have to hustle to get snacks and beverages for everyone. 

Luckily I already had my Sunchips and Frap ready. So I didn’t need anything.

But I watched as they assisted others with care and professionalism.

At one point, they even announced that we had “A princess on board who was turning six years old.”

Everyone cheered and clapped for her.

I thought it was a very cute touch.

Getting to PVR

As we began our descent, the pilot announced that one of our warning lights had gone on, and we had to circle for a bit until they fixed the issue.

Is it bad that I thought of the gate agent? Maybe he didn’t know what he was doing. Who knows? I’m not pretending to understand how Southwest does everything. 

When we landed, we landed without a gate. This is becoming more frequent in PVR.

PVR is getting so busy that they are expanding soon. But that’s beside the point.

Luckily I was seated near the back. So the flight attendant opened the back and allowed us to exit from the back exit.

This is unusual in this part of the world. I’ve only experienced this in Europe and Asia. But I hope this becomes the norm because it’s so efficient.

The plane vacates quickly, and we’re off to the airport via a bus shuttle.

Video Review of this Flight

Let’s Break It Down:

My Southwest flight was around $150 one way since I’m here for an undetermined amount of time.

It’s 2.5 hours long.

The boarding process was less chaotic than I thought.

They have light snacks and beverage services on board.

The flight attendants were great.

Boarding was easy and quick.

Were there a few quirks? Yes. 

Would I fly them again? I think, for now, short distances are the way to go.